General Raheel Sharif not informed about job offer abroad so far: Asif

ISLAMABAD - Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the former chief of army staff General Raheel Sharif has not filed any application to get NOC for any job outside Pakistan so far.

The minister apprised the Senate on Tuesday regarding reports about Gen. Raheel’s appointment in the Saudi-led military alliance to fight terrorism. He stated that Raheel had not contacted Ministry of Defense and GHQ.

He added that Raheel Sharif had arrived in Pakistan two days ago. The retired general had mentioned Umrah but had not said anything about any job offer. He said that Senate will be informed if any application is submitted in this regard.

On the other hand, Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz has stated that former Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was not given any job offer abroad.

In a statement in the Senate, Sartaj Aziz said, “There will no effect on Pakistan’s foreign policy as General Raheel was not given any job offer.”

On January 9, 2017, the Senate sought an explanation and briefing from the government on General (r) Raheel Sharif’s appointment as head of Islamic military alliance.

According to reports, the Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani had asked Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif to brief the upper house of the parliament on the appointment of General Raheel Sharif as head of the Islamic Military Alliance days after later confirmed at a TV talk show that the former Pakistan army chief had taken up the job.